Tag: NFL Draft

Richardson’s case is the latest in a troubling trend

His career is apparently “over” after losing the competition for the Colts’ starting quarterback

The preseason is officially over in the NFL, and a week from Thursday, the regular season will be upon us. As teams start their final preparations for Week 1, there are still some items on the list to check off. One of those items include getting rosters down to 53 players, with the deadline set for Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Like the other squads, the Indianapolis Colts have some tough decisions to make, and one of them may involve the future of quarterback Anthony Richardson. Just two years ago, this scenario might have been seen as a far cry, but the situation Richardson is now in points to a trend that should be avoided by simple understanding and judgment of talent evaluations.

Before getting into the troubling pattern plaguing the league, let’s start with the origin story. Richardson was selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft (third QB taken that year after Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud). As is the case with all of these selections, the goal is to find that franchise-altering player that can be the cornerstone for a bright future, and based on the raw talent Richardson possesses, there’s reason to believe why Indianapolis thought they found their guy. While the physical attributes stand out, actually playing the QB position well was always a question, as Richardson was inconsistent at best during his days at Florida, finishing 2022 with a completion percentage of 53.8. That stat alone should give the scouting department (along with the general manager and head coach) pause when considering whether or not a quarterback is ready for the next level, but with the thirst over the position at an all-time high, stats can be seen as minor details, secondary to the number of highlights seen from college days. What a player does in the NFL combine and pro day means more, and that was probably the case with Richardson.

Regardless of the red flags that stuck out, the Colts felt good about their choice, and with Richardson coming in the same year Shane Steichen was hired as the head coach, a nucleus was formed. If anyone was qualified to polish the rawness of the skillset Richardson has, it was thought to be Steichen. He was the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles when they lost in the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs the year prior. Because of his role in helping Jalen Hurts develop into one of the better QBs, the thinking was he could do the same with Richardson, who has a similar body-type to Hurts. At the beginning of 2023, things looked rosy for the newly-formed partnership, as the rookie was putting up good numbers. Unfortunately, Richardson’s season was cut short, due to a shoulder injury suffered in early-October. Fast forward to 2024, and conditioning issues surfaced in a critical divisional showdown with the Houston Texans. Richardson “tapped out” of the game due to fatigue, a move that was seen by many as quitting on his teammates. Combine that with the season he was having up to that Week 8 contest (4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions with a 44.4 completion percentage), and losing faith in a guy who’s the supposed leader and franchise player becomes more than a possibility.

After Indianapolis saw the quarterback position alternate between Richardson and Joe Flacco (now back with the Cleveland Browns) last season, training camp presented a fresh opportunity for the maligned raw talent to seize the starting job. Instead, Steichen (with probable assistance from GM Chris Ballard) decided to name Daniel Jones, someone who was with the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings before coming to Indy, the starter for the foreseeable future. Now, questions of trust are floating around, and the team’s relationship with the player is on the rocks. Of course, the first thing the media and fans want to do is place blame on why things with the Colts and Richardson appear dark. It might be true Steichen and Ballard didn’t provide the best situation for Richardson to succeed, but ultimately (and probably the main reason), the player was most likely overrated in the first place, and not ready to play at a level where he could be considered a competent QB in the NFL. Another elephant in the room is Steichen and Ballard aren’t exactly secure in their respective positions. So they’re going to do what they feel gives them the best chance to keep their jobs and win football games. Apparently, they trust Jones more in that venture than Richardson.

In totality, this is just the latest in cases where quarterbacks are put up far too lofty, when a little bit of research (and simple eye testing) would tell a different story. Another troublesome trend is the rush to throw a BS hot take into the wind, calling Richardson a “bust” after just two seasons in the league. It’s true the career path hasn’t started off so well, but the man is only 23 years old, and the raw talent still jumps off the page (this is coming from someone who is very critical of his play). Let’s see if he can work on his craft and earn himself another chance to show he can become a franchise QB, whether it’s in Indianapolis or elsewhere. History says Jones won’t make it through a whole season without getting injured and/or benched. If and when that happens, Richardson has to be ready, because if not, there might be a little substance to that bust potential.

Hard to understand all of the questions surrounding Hunter

Wondering about a player who excels on offense and defense speaks volumes about the NFL’s talent evaluators.

As we all know by now, the action never stops in the NFL, even without games being played. The scouting combine is behind us, and free agency is about done (with the exception of the normal Aaron Rodgers drama) before the NFL Draft in late-April. Speaking of the draft, one of the main questions leading up to the time to see players officially become professionals center around Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Speculation goes from discussion about where Hunter gets drafted, to how he should be used once said team selects him with a presumably high draft choice. On one side, the questions could be seen as valid, and on the other, it would be understood if this topic as a whole is nothing more than made-up fodder for the talking heads and “experts” to quench the thirst for content.

Before diving into the validity of the questions, let’s start with facts about the player, for context purposes. Hunter was highly-recruited by numerous power-conference schools, before stunning the college football world with the decision to play at Jackson State, who was coached by Deion Sanders at the time. On the surface, people wondered why would Hunter go play at the smaller college, but considering cornerback is his natural position (more on that in a minute), why wouldn’t he want to learn from arguably the best to ever play that position? After spending his first year at JSU, Hunter would follow Sanders to Colorado, where he would become a household name with his versatility. Not only would he remain one of the best corners in the land, but also become one of the elite receivers. His ability to be on the field for around 100 plays per game (routinely) was instrumental in his winning of the Heisman trophy this past season. Now, Hunter is anywhere in the top-five on most draft boards as far as best players available goes.

After reading that last paragraph, it’s logical to ask why there are issues deciding where Hunter would fit in the scheme of the team who drafts him. The problem isn’t the athlete as much as it is the front offices doing the evaluation. Like most things in life, feedback and “analysis” come from a negative lens, talking about what can’t be done, or what a player can’t or won’t do. What Hunter can do is play the game of football, and there’s no reason why he can’t do in the NFL what he did in college. Deciding how to use Hunter’s talents should be easy from a front office perspective, but because the focus is on detracting, lines become blurred. If his natural position is defensive back, draft him with the purpose of playing him there, then put a package together where he can get some snaps on the offensive end (just to start off). If Hunter is still feeling fresh after whatever play-count, give him more plays. Most of all, why wouldn’t a team want to get a player with Hunter’s skillset as many chances on the field as possible? More often than not, there’s too many questions that have no reason to be asked.

Of course, we won’t get answers until the draft opens April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but it doesn’t mean the time for forecast is stopping anytime soon. With that in mind, let’s talk about the draft order. The Tennessee Titans hold the first pick, followed by the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants. Unsurprisingly, conversation begins and ends with the quarterback position, and this year’s class is headlined by Cam Ward (The “U” of Miami) and Shedeur Sanders (Hunter’s teammate at Colorado). Most will say this is crazy, but if the Titans aren’t taking Hunter with the pick, it might be better to trade down and stockpile more picks. Despite all of the hype (along with the everlasting obsession with the QB position), there’s nothing that says Ward or Sanders are players franchises can build around. On top of that, Tennessee has a bunch of issues on their roster, and picking a quarterback doesn’t make them go away. It’s easily forgotten how much of a team sport football is, and unless the Titans start with roster-building, the same problems will persist. Plus, if it doesn’t work out with Hunter, the team isn’t torpedoed for years, like missing on a QB would do. So if Tennessee keeps the pick, they might as well go with arguably the best player.

It’s no secret the NFL season is a grind, and the toll the game can take on the human body is undeniable. Also true is how rare it is to see players take snaps on both sides of the ball with regularity. What Hunter will attempt to do upon entering the league has never been done before, but can he at least have a chance before it’s an automatic no? We’re always told history is meant to be broken, so let’s see what Hunter does. From all indications, he has a work ethic to match the talent, and a mentality to be great at what he does. At the end, that should be all front offices ask for, and this could be a big mistake if Hunter doesn’t get to maximize his talents because of bad management.

Another NFL Draft, another chance for teams to get right at quarterback

For these three clubs, the hope is 2024 brings a player to build the foundation around

In sports, there might not be a more important position than the quarterback in football. While some teams have had unprecedented success finding their guy to build a team around, others have gone through purgatory to find something remotely close. With the NFL Draft behind us, there were front offices everywhere who spent countless nights trying to make sure they have the right QB (if they don’t already) to be the face of the franchise. This is especially true for three clubs, all who have had tremendous difficulty finding someone to lean on for various reasons. It’s time to dive into why they may have finally got it right, or maybe, why their search will continue far beyond this draft.

The obvious team to start with is the Chicago Bears, who had the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year. The Bears haven’t had a bonafide starter since Jim McMahon was the man during the 1980s. Since then, the quarterbacks who have played in the Windy City have provided mixed results at best. Rex Grossman (Remember him?) was the man when Chicago went to the Super Bowl in 2006 (losing to the Indianapolis Colts), and the franchise thought the found their man in Jay Cutler in 2009, but inconsistencies and turnovers equaled disappointment at the end. The latest experiment involved Justin Fields, who the Bears selected with the 11th pick in 2021. The reasons for why Fields would end up being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers can and have been debated for weeks, but the next man is former USC QB Caleb Williams. The feelings about Williams will be discussed later, but for now, let’s say the belief in him isn’t as high as what the mainstream media displays.

Sitting with the second pick of this year’s draft was the Washington Commanders. Like the Bears, it’s been musical quarterbacks for the better part of the last three decades for Washington, who have seen 27 players take their turn at the position since 2000. In 2012, they thought they had their man in the form of Robert Griffin III, and there was reason to believe this was the case after Griffin III won the Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the player and the team, injuries would derail RGIII’s career, and the Commanders would turn to Kirk Cousins, who was taken in the fourth round of that same draft. Cousins played pretty well overall, but was never able to lead Washington past the wild card round of the playoffs during his tenure. Since seeing Cousins leave to sign a record contract (at the time) with the Minnesota Vikings before the 2018 campaign, they haven’t settled on a consistent starter. The latest contender, Sam Howell, was just traded to the Seattle Seahawks last month. So who is next to try their hand at solidifying the QB position in Washington? That question seemed tougher to answer than it would be for Chicago, but former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the choice. For the Commanders’ sake, let’s hope No. 28 is more consistent than the last 27.

Lastly, let’s slide down the draft order to No. 12, where the Denver Broncos resided. In the grand scheme of things, the Broncos haven’t been as bad off as the first two squads. After all, they have been fortunate to see two of the best quarterbacks ever to wear their uniform (John Elway and Peyton Manning). Outside of those years, it’s been up-and-down. Before the 2022 season, Denver felt they had a roster that was ready to compete for a championship, and the missing piece was that QB. So they decided to trade a nice haul of draft picks and players to the Seahawks for Russell Wilson, then signed him to a five-year, $245 million contract extension. The two years that followed were nothing short of disastrous, and Wilson is now with the Steelers (like Fields). Meanwhile, the Broncos are eating $85 million in dead cap money, and they’re once again in the market for a quarterback. In an attempt to remedy this ongoing problem, they acquired Zach Wilson from the New York Jets Monday, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if they reached for another one. As it turned out, it’s Bo Nix who could be next in line, depending on who wins the competition to start that’s coming in Denver.

It’s no secret the quest to find the quarterback of the future is never-ending in the NFL. A few teams (the Kansas City Chiefs among others) get it right, but it appears most of them can’t. More often than not, it’s different year, same problem. In this year’s edition of the quest, six of the first 12 picks were QBs. The Bears, Commanders and Broncos hope this is the year they end their nightmare search. Of course, we have to see these men actually get on the field and play before making any determinations, but if we’re going off of a projection before the draft, I would say nay on Chicago, yay for Washington and neutral for Denver. Personally, I felt Daniels was the best quarterback in the draft, and was never high on Williams (probably an unpopular opinion). For Nix, I can see a solid starter, but that probably won’t be enough for starving, impatient fan bases. The beauty is we’ll start to get right or wrong answers soon enough, and for these three teams, a rest off of the QB carousel would be close to heaven.

Three tips to keep sanity through sports seasons

Let’s prevent ourselves from going viral for the wrong reasons.

Before we dive in, I think it’s fair to acknowledge we all have things we are passionate about. Maybe it’s writing, reading, traveling or working out. It could also be entertainment, business or politics that gets the emotions going. One thing that’s unique about sports is it qualifies as one of the few places where all of these differences (from multiple backgrounds and viewpoints) can unite for the common goal of rooting for one team to win. All of those passions are carried over to the stadium, arena or whatever device you’re watching the game from, and similar to other walks of life, those feelings can drive people to irrational thoughts (just talking about sports in this case). Have no fear, because yours truly is here to give three tips on how to stay sane when watching your favorite team or player navigate through the roller-coaster ride called the regular season. The focus is on the NFL, but these can help through all of the other sports as well.

The first tip is to be realistic with expectations. I know every team has the goal of winning a championship when training camps begin, but there are squads who are nowhere close to achieving that goal. For example, the Jacksonville Jaguars had the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft for the past two years. While they may have building blocks for the future, they’re probably not ready to compete for titles. The Dallas Cowboys (and their fans) believe they can win the Super Bowl every year, but how long has it been since they even made it to the big game in February (over a quarter of a century, but I’m not counting)? On the other hand, the Buffalo Bills have been knocking on the door, and look like the favorite to win it all this year. There aren’t too many people I know who are more optimistic than I am, but realism has to set in at some point. As a San Francisco 49ers fan, I know there’s a chance they can win a title, but Jimmy Garoppolo is the ultimate wild card at quarterback. Therefore, I’m always ready for the back-breaking interception if and when it comes. So if fans are being realistic, the sanity can still remain. In saying that, it doesn’t mean the pain lessens during losses.

Secondly, remember regular seasons are marathons, not sprints. Overreactions from the hot take media runs rampant through every forum, but regardless of what is said or heard, no team has ever won a championship after the first week of the year, in September, or during October. The Baltimore Ravens didn’t see their season come to an end by blowing a large lead to the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. The New York Giants probably aren’t going far into the playoffs, even though they have a surprising 4-1 record. It’s fun to get into debates with family and friends, and easy to get lost with all of the opinions and data, but understand things have to play out over time. So if there’s a team you thought could make some strides in the right direction, but it hasn’t worked out that way to this point, give it time before jumping off the bandwagon commences. If there is a player who is hyped up to be the best thing since sliced bread (Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert comes to mind), can he at least lead a team to the playoffs before we rush him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame? All I’m saying is things have to develop. It’s about the big picture, not the small prism of what happens in a game.

Finally, keep in mind sports is part of life, not life itself. It’s understood there is a lot of money involved because of the gambling craze, but at its core, games are supposed to be fun. If you are going to gamble, please do it responsively, and let’s stay in one piece. Too many times, fans have fought each other because of game results (Philadelphia Eagles fans in particular. There was a jail at old Veterans Stadium after all). As much as we might want to think we’re part of the squad, we don’t actually play for them. Life continues, and there’s no reason to make social media clips showing people burning jerseys, or smashing televisions they spent their hard earned money on. Yes, fan is short for fanatic, but we can make sure to stay sensible through it all.

So there you have it, the three tips for someone to stay sane during regular seasons. I’m not different from the next person when it comes to passion for a team. In today’s world, it’s easy to let those emotions bubble over when our team loses, especially with the real life issues we have to face in our daily lives. A loss can send people over the edge, but sports is supposed to be an outlet from those issues. There’s still a way for us to root for our teams, sensibly. If these tips are followed, you’ll ensure calmness, and save a few limbs from breaking furniture in frustration. By the way…I’m not a psychologist, I just play one on my blog.

The Rams’ path to glory is not the model to copy

From Thursday to Saturday, the NFL Draft is taking place in Las Vegas. With these picks come eternal hope, for teams and their fans alike, that the players selected can be a part of building something special. Entering the draft, eight squads didn’t have a pick in the first round. One of those teams come in the form of the newly-crowned Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, who have famously put a value on veterans over draft picks in their pursuit of championships. It a high-risk, high reward strategy, and even if the reward is a title or two, the result of future futility is almost certain.

We all know Rams general manager Les Snead is known for saying “F*** Them Picks,” even wearing a t-shirt with the phrase on it during the team’s championship parade. When it comes to a winning window, there’s no telling how long that could last. Since the New England Patriots went back-to-back in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, there hasn’t been a repeat champion. So the question a squad’s front office has to answer is how to go about building a team that can compete for titles. Is it being patient to build through the draft and develop young players, or is stacking the team with established veterans to enhance the all-in, win now mentality? For L.A., the answer was clearly the latter.

So the frenzy of trading the draft picks began, and the Rams turned to free agency to fill the rest of the holes on the roster. The main chess piece was quarterback Matthew Stafford, who the team sent previous starter Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Detroit Lions to receive before last season. It took a couple more first-rounders and a fourth-round pick to get cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. Wanna get linebacker Von Miller (now with the Buffalo Bills) from the Denver Broncos? L.A. said here’s a second and third-round pick in return. Looking for a wide receiver to complement Cooper Kupp? Let’s sign Odell Beckham Jr. While trading all of these picks seem a little insane, one can respect a team going for it when the opportunity presents itself.

Let’s not forget the Rams played in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2018 season, losing to the Patriots 13-3. Getting that close to the title can definitely drive motivation to get back and finish the job. Seeing what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in winning a Super Bowl in their home stadium, combined with knowing this past title game was in SoFi Stadium, only added to the fire. All of this equaled L.A.’s willingness to sacrifice the future for a potentially-brighter present, and with Snead and head coach Sean McVay on the same page, “F*** Them Picks” became one of the most famous memes out there.

If a win-now strategy pays off, fans and media will say it’s all worth it to win a championship, especially when celebrations are happening at the time. If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any complaints when their squad has no future to build upon because of the lack of draft picks. The purgatory is probably coming for the Rams, and with the world living in the moment more than ever, those same fans who said the title was worth it will be the ones calling out the future being in peril. With that said, there are multiple ways to put a team together to win. L.A. found one that worked for them, but by no means should it be a model to copy. Therefore, the standard is not the standard in this case. There is still a lot of value in the draft, and over time, the Rams will see that also.